AMMAN, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Sunday signed a 250-million-U.S. dollar agreement with the World Bank Group to finance a water efficiency project for the kingdom.
The agreement was signed by Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan and World Bank Middle East Country Director Jean-Christophe Carret, according to a ministry statement.
The financing package consists of a 200-million-dollar soft loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the lending arm of the World Bank Group, and a 50-million-dollar grant from the World Bank-run Global Concessional Financing Facility, the statement said.
The financed water project entails upgrading water distribution networks, reducing water losses, optimizing energy consumption and implementing a drought management system.
According to Carret, the financing agreement is the first step in a series of proposed projects designated to support Jordan's water management efforts, notably to tackle water wastage, enhance energy consumption efficiency, elevate service delivery standards, and fortify the financial sustainability of the water sector.
Jordan is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, according to the World Bank, as the kingdom's water supply is only 97 cubic meters per capita per year, significantly below the absolute water scarcity threshold.
